Universal timepiece

ABSTRACT

A universal timepiece comprises a disc driven by means comprising meshing first and second planet wheels pivotally mounted on a rotatably carrier angularly fixed with the disc, the first planet wheel meshing with a pinion in an hours hand driving train, and the second planet wheel meshing with a solar pinion. The solar pinion is normally angularly fixed, but a setting train for the disc meshes with the solar pinion to enable rotation thereof.

United States Patent 1191 Chailandes [4 1 Mar. 27, 1973 I UNIVERSAL TIMEPIECE [75] Inventor: Claude Challandes, Sonceboz, Switzerland [73] Assignee: Centre Electronique Horlager S.A.,

Brequet, Neuchatel, Switzerland [22] Filed: May 17, 1971 [21] AppLNo; 144,128

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 22, 1970 Switzerland ..7656/70 [52] US. Cl ..58/42.5, 58/855 [51] Int. Cl. ..G04b 19/22, G04b 27/00 [58] Field of Search "58/425, 43, 85.5

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,641,898 6/1953 Galley ..58/43 5/1967 LC: ..ss/4a 12/1967 Burg ..ss/43 Primary ExaminerRichard B. Wilkinson Assistant ExaminerEdith C. Simmons .lackmon AttorneySt,evens, Davis, Miller & Mosher ABSTRACT A universal timepiece comprises a disc driven by means comprising meshing first and second planet wheels pivotally mounted on a rotatably carrier angularly fixed with the disc, the first planet wheel meshing with a pinion in an hours hand driving train, and the second planet wheel meshing with a solar pinion. The solar pinion is normally angularly fixed, but a setting train for the disc meshes with the solar pinion to enable rotation thereof.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures IPATENTEUHARIZ'IIQH' SHEETBUFB gm o x w J M Wm MN UNIVERSAL TIMEPIECE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to universal timepieces, that is to say timepieces designed for the rapid reading of time in different time zones.

It is an object of the invention to provide a universal timepiece comprising conventional hours and minutes hands, a disc carrying indications to show the time in different time zones, and a separate setting train for the disc to enable setting thereof without interference with the drive of the hours and minutes hands. Preferably, a second setting train which enables the simultaneous setting of the hours hand, minutes hand and disc is also provided.

A universal timepiece according to the invention comprises a minutes hand, an hours hand and a disc mounted for rotation about a fixed dial, indications being provided on the dial and disc for showing the time in different time zones. The minutes hand, hours hand and disc are respectively driven in the ratio 24:2:1 revolutions per minute by driving means comprising meshing first and second planet wheels pivotally mounted on a rotatable carrier angularly fixed with said disc, said first planet wheel also meshing with a first pinion angularly dependant with the hours hand, said second planet wheel also meshing with a solar pinion. Means are provided for normally holding said solar pinion angularly fixed, and means for setting said disc include a setting train meshing with said solar pinion to enable rotation thereof.

DESIGNATION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of a timepiece according to the invention and a varied embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a partial cross-section through the embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away plan view from below the timepiece of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section along line 111-111 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to a part of FIG. 1 for a varied embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a partly cut-away plan view taken along V- V of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The mechanism shown in FIG. 1 is mounted between two plates 1 and 2 and drives an hours hand 4, a minutes hand 5, and a disc 6 past indications on a dial 3 covering the plate 2. i

This mechanism comprises a pinion 7 driven by a known type of horological motor schematically represented by M and which, being well known to the person skilled in the art, will not be described in detail. For example, the motor could be an electro-mechanical oscillator motor, or a conventional spring driven motor with a balance wheel and escapement mechanism; in both cases a gear train (not shown) is provided so that pinion 7 is driven at a rate such that a wheel 8 meshing therewith is driven at an angular speed ofl revolution per hour.

Wheel 8 is friction fitted on a cannon-pinion 9 the shaft 10 of which is pivotally mounted between plates 1 and 2 and protrudes out of plate 2 and through the dial 3. The minutes hand 5 is mounted on the end of shaft 10 protruding from the dial, so that it is driven at a rate of. one revolution per hour. The cannon-pinion 9 meshes with a dial-train l 1 angularly solid with a pinion l2 meshing with an hour wheel 13 fixed onto a pinion 14 made in one piece with a pipe 15 rotatably mounted on the shaft 10 of cannon-pinion 9. Pipe 15 also protrudes through the dial 3 and carries, at its outer end, the hours hand 4. The gear ratio between the cannon-pinion 9, dial-train ll, dial-train pinion 12 and hour wheel 13 is 1:12, so that the hours hand 4 makes one complete revolution around the dial for 12 revolution of the minutes hand 5, as in conventional timepieces.

Pinion 14 meshes with a planet wheel 16 pivotally mounted on a mobile wheel 17 fixed on a second pipe 18 concentric to pipe 15 and mounted rotatably thereabout. Wheel 17 also carries another planet wheel 19 meshing on the one hand with planet wheel 16 and on the other hand with a pinion 20 rotatably mounted about pipe 18. Since this differential gear system is provided with two planet wheels, 16 and 19, the disc 6, which is fitted onto pipe 18 adjacent to the dial 3, is rotated in the same direction as the hands 4 and 5.

The mounting of planet wheels 16 and 19 on wheel 17 is shown in detail in FIG. 3. The planet wheels are pivotally mounted on shanks 16' and 19 fixed to a plate 17 attached to wheel 17 by two pillars 37. The shank of pinion 20 passes through plate 2 and a spring 21 fitted in groove 22 of the shank of pinion 20 bears against the bottom of a recess 23 in the outer side of plate 2 so as to-prevent pinion 20 from freely turning about the pipe 18. Consequently, pinion 20 forms a solar pinion about which the planet wheel19, driven by planet wheel 16 meshing with pinion 14, is driven together with the wheel 17 and pipe 18 carrying disc 6. The gear ratio of pinions l4, 16, 19 and 20 is chosen so that the angular speeds of the wheel 17 and the pinion 14 are in the ratio 1:2. Consequently, disc 6 makes one revolution'per 24 hours. I

As shown in FIG. 2, disc 6 is graduated at its periphery from one to 24 and the fixed dial 3 carries,

zone whilst local time is indicated by the hands 4 and 5.

The normal" time-setting mechanism comprises a wheel 24 meshing with the dial-train 11 and freely rotatably mounted on a stepped bush 25 tightly fitted on a shank 26 pivotally mounted between plates 1 and 2. Wheel 24 meshes with a pinion 27 keyed on an axially and rotatably movable control shaft 28 which can be actuated manually from the exterior of the timepiece, in this example from outside the bottom of the case, not shown. This control shaft 28 is mounted between the plates 1 and 2 and has two adjacent cir cumferential grooves 29 and 30. A spring 31, fixed'by.

means of a screw 32 to the outer side of plate 1, penetrates into one or the other of grooves 29 and 30 according to the axial position of the control shaft 28 so as to hold the shaft in a chosen axial position.

A further pinion 33 is also keyed onto control shaft 28. In the second axial position of the control shaft 28, indicated in dotted and dashed lines in FIG. 1', pinion 33 meshes with a wheel 34 coaxial to the wheel 24 but angularly fixed on the shank 26. In this second position of the control shaft 28, pinion 27 no longer meshes with the wheel 24. Wheel 34 forms part of a gear train for setting disc 6 comprising a wheel 35 meshing with wheel 34 and with a wheel 36 fixed on the pinion 20.

For normal simultaneous setting of the hands 4 and 5 and the disc 6, the control shaft is placed in the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1, and the shaft is manually rotated in one direction or the other according to whether it is desired to move the hands 4 and 5 forwards or backwards. The rotation of shaft 28 is transmitted to the wheel 24 by the pinion 27. Wheel 24 drives the dial train 11 and the dial train pinion 12 of the motion work. Wheel 8 is frictionally fitted onto the shaft of the cannon pinion 9 and consequently stays in mesh with the pinion 7 of the motor M. The frictional adjustment between the wheel 8 and the cannon pinion 9 thus enables the latter to be angularly freed from wheel 8 during setting. The dial train pinion 12 also transmits rotation to the wheel 13 fixed to pinion 14 made in one piece with the hours hand pipe 15. Pinion 14 transmits a rotation in the ratio I22 to the mobile planet-carrying wheel 17 fixed to pipe 18 carrying disc 6. The pinion 20 is held angularly fixed by the spring 21 during this operation, as for normal running of the timepiece.

For setting only the disc 6, for example after having moved the hands 4 and 5 forwards or backwards by one hour when the user passes from one time zone to another, or after the time-piece has been stopped for a long period, the control shaft 28 is moved to the position shown in dotted and dashed lines, with the spring 31 engaging in groove 30. By manually turning the shaft 28, wheel 34 is driven by pinion 33 and in turn drives wheel 36 fixed on pinion 20. Pinion 20 is thus turned against the action of the pressure exerted by the spring 21 and, by turning, drives the planet wheel 19 which in turn drives the planet wheel 16. In this case, I

pinion 14 which is angularly held by the gear train 13, 12, 11, 9 and 8 and the motor M acts as a fixed solar pinion, since its rotation at'l revolution per 12 hours can be neglected. In this manner, the wheel 17 is rotated without disturbing the position and drive of hands 4 and 5. Of course, rotation of wheel 17 fixed to pipe 18 causes rotation of the disc 6, which can thus be set independently of the hands.

The normal rest position of the control shaft 28 is that shown in dotted-dashed lines. In fact, normal drive of the hands is accompanied by rotation of the wheels 11 and 24. Since the control shaft 28 is gripped by the spring 31, this spring exerts a braking action on the shaft 28 which would therefore cause stopping or slowing down of the hands 4 and 5 and disc 6 if the wheel 24 were left in mesh with the pinion 27 during normal running of the timepiece. Pinion 20 being angularly fixed during normal operation of the timepiece, the engagement of pinion 33 with wheel 34 causes no perturbation to the motion work and allows wheel 24 to turn freely. The provision of two axially separated coaxial pinions 27 and 33 is not absolutely necessary; however, this arrangement enables a reduction of the axial path for the control shaft 28.

In the variant shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a time-setting stem 38 has a single axial position and has a single pinion 39 fixed thereto. Pinion 39 meshes with a toothed wheel 40 freely pivoted on a shaft 26 between wheels 24 and 34. Wheel 40 has on its upper face a pawl 41 freely pivoted on a stud 42 integral with wheel 40. Pawl 41 has two beaks 43 which engage with catches 44 carried by the wheel 24 when the wheel 40 turns in the counterclockwise direction (FIG. 5) but which do not engage with the catches 44 when wheel 40 turns in the clockwise direction. Hence the wheel 24 and the setting train are only driven for one direction of rotation of the stem 38.

The wheel 34 also carries a pawl 45 freely pivoted on a stud 46 integral with wheel 34. The beaks of this pawl 45 are arranged so that the pawl does not engage with stud 47 carried on the lower face of the wheel 40 when this wheel is turned in the counterclockwise direction (FIG. 5), whilst they engage with studs 47 when wheel 40 is turned in the clockwise direction.

In this manner, rotation of wheel 40 in the counterclockwise direction drives the wheel 24 and the setting train for the hands and disc, whilst rotation of wheel 40 in the clockwise direction drives the wheel 34 and the setting train for the disc 6 only.

Of course, other variants can be envisaged. Thus, instead of having a control shaft 28 parallel to the axis of the motion work and which is therefore accessible from outside the bottom of the timepiece, it would be possible to use a conventional control stem parallel to the general plane of the motion work. Such a stem could control the two distinct setting trains by means of a conventional type of setting mechanism, with pull-outpiece, jumper, clutch wheel, and rocking bar carrying two'pinions respectively alternately in engagement with the wheels 24 and 34 by rocking the bar about the axis of an intermediate wheel driven by the clutch wheel. This type of mechanism is well known to the person skilled in the art, but it should however be noted that it is more costly to manufacture than the described embodiments.

What is claimed is:

1. An universal timepiece comprising a fixed dial; a minutes hand, an hours hand and a disc mounted for rotation about the dial; indications on the dial and disc for showing the time in different time zones; means for driving the minutes hand, hours hand anddisc respectively in the ratio 24: 2: l revolutions per twenty four hours, said driving means comprising meshing first and second planet wheels pivotally mounted on a rotatable carrier angularly fixed with said disc, said first planet wheel also meshing with a first pinion angularly dependent with the hours hand, said second planet wheel also meshing with a solar pinion; means for normally holding said solar pinion angularly fixed; and means for setting said disc including a first setting train meshing with said solar pinion to enable rotation thereof.

2. A timepiece according to claim 1, comprisinga second setting train including means for simultaneously setting the minutes hand, hours hand and disc.

3. A timepiece according to claim 2, comprising single control means for selectively actuating the first and second setting trains.

4. A timepiece according to claim 3, in which said control means comprises a rotatable control shaft movable axially between a first position and a second position, third pinion means mounted on said control shaft, said third pinion means meshing with a first wheel of said first setting train in said first position and with a second wheel of said second setting train in said second position, the first and second wheels of said first and second setting trains being coaxially mounted together but angularly independent of one another and axially spaced apart from one another.

5. A timepiece according to claim 4, in which said third pinion means comprises two third pinions coaxially keyed on said control shaft, one third pinion meshing with said first wheel whilst the other third pinion isdisengaged from the second wheel in said first position, and the other third pinion meshing with the second wheel whilst said one third pinion is disengaged from the first wheel in said second position.

6. A timepiece according to claim 1, in which said 'solar pinion is rotatably mounted in a plate of the timepiece, and comprising a spring urging the solar pinion against said plate to frictionally angularly lock the solar pinion on the plate.

7. A timepiece according to claim 2, which further comprises a control means comprising an axially fixed rotatable control shaft, a third pinion on said shaft,.said third pinion being disposed between a first wheel of the first setting train and a second wheel of the second setting train, and means for rotatably engaging said third pinion with said first wheel for one direction of rotation of said shaft and rotatably engaging said third pinion with said second wheel for the other direction of rotation of said shaft. 

1. An universal timepiece comprising : a fixed dial; a minutes hand, an hours hand and a disc mounted for rotation about the dial; indications on the dial and disc for showing the time in different time zones; means for driving the minutes hand, hours hand and disc respectively in the ratio 24: 2: 1 revolutions per twenty four hours, said driving means comprising meshing first and second planet wheels pivotally mounted on a rotatable carrier angularly fixed with said disc, said first planet wheel also meshing with a first pinion angularly dependent with the hours hand, said second planet wheel also meshing with a solar pinion; means for normally holding said solar pinion angularly fixed; and means for setting said disc including a first setting train meshing with said solar pinion to enable rotation thereof.
 2. A timepiece according to claim 1, comprising a second setting train including means for simultaneously setting the minutes hand, hours hand and disc.
 3. A timepiece according to claim 2, comprising single control means for selectively actuating the first and second setting trains.
 4. A timepiece according to claim 3, in which said control means comprises a rotatable control shaft movable axially between a first position and a second position, third pinion means mounted on said control shaft, said third pinion means meshing with a first wheel of said first setting train in said first position and with a second wheel of said second setting train in said second position, the first and second wheels of said first and second setting trains being coaxially mounted together but angularly independent of one another and axially spaced apart from one another.
 5. A timepiece according to claim 4, in which said third pinion means comprises two third pinions coaxially keyed on said control shaft, one third pinion meshing with said first wheel whilst the other third pinion is disengaged from the second wheel in said first position, and the other third pinion meshing with the second wheel whilst said one third pinion is disengaged from the first wheel in said second position.
 6. A timepiece according to claim 1, in which said solar pinion is rotatably mounted in a plate of the timepiece, and comprising a spring urging the solar pinion against said plate to frictionally angularly lock the solar pinion on the plate.
 7. A timepiece according to claim 2, which further comprises a control means comprising an axially fixed rotatable control shaft, a third pinion on said shaft, said third pinion being disposed between a first wheel of the first setting train and a second wheel of the second setting train, and means for rotatably engaging said third pinion with said first wheel for one direction of rotation of said shaft and rotatably engaging said third pinion with said second wheel for the other direction of rotation of said shaft. 